A YOUNG child 'screamed her head off' as a man armed with two kitchen knives tried to kick open a front door following a row between neighbours in Lowestoft, a court was told.

The four-year-old was at a house in Stanford Street when 32-year-old John Charlton went to the property looking for his neighbour, Jimmy Kellow, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Michael Crimp, prosecuting, said Charlton was heard shouting 'Get out here, I'll have you' as he kicked and banged on the door and he was then seen to stab the door and throw a knife at it.

During the incident, Mr Crimp said, Charlton also approached another neighbour who had been watching the incident, and had started shouting at her while brandishing a knife.

The woman later told police she had been scared that Charlton was going to stab her and described herself as being 'frozen like a rabbit in car headlights', said Mr Crimp.

Charlton, of Stanford Street, Lowestoft, admitted affray and was jailed for two years on Monday.

He was also made the subject of a restraining order.

Mr Crimp told the court that the affray had taken place on the evening of September 15 after a falling out between Charlton and Mr Kellow. He said Mr Kellow had returned home after he and Charlton 'had words' and had told his partner, Terrie Sanders, to get into the house.

Shortly afterwards, Charlton arrived at the property and tried to force his way in.

Mr Crimp told the court that at the time of the incident a four-year-old girl had been standing on the other side of the door and was 'screaming her head off'.

Danielle Donovan, for Charlton, said her client and Mr Kellow had been close friends until they fell out prior to the incident on September 15.

Miss Donovan claimed that Charlton had gone round to Mr Kellow's house after Mr Kellow had hit him on the head.

She said Charlton's partner and children had gone to a barbecue at Mr Kellow's house on September 15 and Charlton had felt aggrieved and had bought himself a bottle of vodka.

He had only gone round to Mr Kellow's house after being told Mr Kellow was sitting in the garden making threats and had an axe beside him.